Although named the 1000 kilometres of Monza, the race has at times been run at shorter lengths, most notably in the late 1970s and early 1990s before the demise of the World Sportscar Championship in 1992.
The Coppa Intereuropa was first held in 1949[1] on a race circuit measuring 6.3 kilometres (3.9 miles). The length of the race was expanded to 1000 kilometres in 1954. Since 1956, the race has been held on a race circuit measuring 10 kilometres (6.2 miles). The event was shortened and returned to the 6.3-kilometre track the following year. In 1960 and 1961 the race was part of the FIA GT Cup.
In 1963 the race was held as a three-hour event for production-based cars in the World Sportscar Championship before being expanded to a 1000-kilometre distance in 1965. Until 1969, the full Monza circuit, which included the banked oval, was used. In order to slow cars down, chicanes were installed in 1965 at the beginning of the second banking (south curve), and in 1966, at the beginning of the other banking. A lap was 10.1 kilometres long, yielding a total distance of 1010 kilometres after 100 laps. From 1970 to 2008, the shorter Grand Prix circuit (approximately 5.8 kilometres) was used for 173 laps.
In 1978 the World Sports Car Championship was cancelled, and the race was reconfigured for 320 kilometres, making it eligible for the European Sportscar Championship.
In 1979, after the European Championship was cancelled, the race (again 1000 kilometres) was eligible only for the Italian Championship.
In 1989 the race was cancelled due to financial problems of the Automobile Club of Milan and for the rebuilding of boxes and paddock facilities.
Since 1992 the race has been used on and off by various series, most notably, the BPR Global GT Series, the Italian GT Championship, and the Challenge Endurance Italia series in 1997 and 1998. The FIA Sportscar Championship also held a single running of the 1000 kilometres in 2001.
In 1995 and 1996 the race was valid for the BPR Global GT Series, reserved for GT cars, with the "4 hours" format.
After no race was held in 1997, the 1998 edition did not qualify for an international championship. It returned to the 1000-kilometre format and was re-opened to sports cars.
In 1999 the distance of the race was reduced to 500 kilometres, and it again became eligible for an international championship, the SportsRacing World Cup.
In 2000 the race was held for the 500 kilometres distance but was called "1000 km" because on the same morning, a race of 500 kilometres, eligible for the FIA GT Championship, was held.
In 2001 returning to a real 1000-kilometre format, the race was eligible for the FIA Sportscar Championship. After a year without a race, in 2003 the race returned to the 500-kilometre format.
In 2004 the race (again 1000 kilometres) was resumed as part of the Le Mans Series. A race was planned for 2006 by the Le Mans Series but was cancelled due to protests over noise pollution caused by the event.[2] Agreements were later reached to allow the event to return in 2007.
After 2008 the race was not held again until 2017, when a "4 hours" format race was scheduled as part of the 2017 European Le Mans Series.
